Dredging and Recontouring of New York–New Jersey Harbor for Benthic Habitat Restoration and Water Quality Improvement

The recently initiated USACE feasibility study for the Hudson-Raritan Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Project has as its cornerstone four major methods of restoration proposed for New York/New Jersey Harbor. These are: 1) the removal of millions of cubic yards of upland fill to restore wetland and shallow water habitat, 2) the removal or modification of structures (e.g. bridges and causeways) that block tidal flow, 3) the construction of artificial reefs, and 4) the dredging and/or recontouring of contaminated sediments to restore benthic habitat and improve water quality. The NY/NJ Harbor ecosystem has experienced significant water quality improvement and the return of certain species in the past few decades; however, the sediments and associated benthic organisms in many areas are still highly contaminated. Improvement in estuarine benthos lags significantly behind water column improvements, and many areas may never improve significantly without additional help in the form of dredging and recontouring. Several dredging/recontouring projects throughout the Harbor have been proposed and baseline studies to characterize the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of selected study sites are currently underway.